Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, announced that Nick Matthews has joined Centier as Assistant Vice President of Business Banking. Matthews services commercial loans throughout the Elkhart, South Bend, and Mishawaka region.

As a member of Michiana’s growing business banking team, Matthews joins Centier as a seasoned banker with experience in commercial banking and commercial credit. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a BBA in Finance and is also a South Bend Chamber Leadership Graduate (Class 39).

Matthews resides in Osceola with his wife, Lana, and two sons, Cole and Reece.

The award recognizes women making a difference in their businesses, industries, and communities in and around Northwest Indiana.

“To be recognized in this way, among an outstanding and deserving list of professionals in marketing and media, is truly an honor, stated Sherwin, who joined more than 500 guests at a dinner held on November 6th. “It is rewarding to experience firsthand the recognition of women influential in our businesses and community. The combined contribution of time, leadership and dedication by all of the women nominated is a significant investment in the growth and development of Northwest Indiana.”

Sherwin, a Schererville resident, began her career in marketing more than 22 years ago. She has built a career specializing in bank marketing, working with financial institutions in Northwest Indiana, including Mercantile Bank, BMO Harris, and Centier Bank.

Educators from across Northwest Indiana attended the 9th annual Financial Literacy Fair for Educators at Centier’s Corporate Centre. They learned about various financial programs and resources available, heard that the 2014 Survey of the States shows notable progress over the past 15 years and discovered programs developed to help low income families get connected to the internet. They were also made aware of interactive educational programs designed to teach basic financial management skills to 3rd and 4th graders and introduced to the Money $ense television show on Lakeshore Public TV, which can be used as a tool in a classroom setting.

Chris Richardson, teacher at Merrillville High School, commented, “The presentations were informative and offered different possibilities and ideas for incorporation in the classroom.” Suzanne Demmond from Hanover Central High School stated, “These are great resources for a teacher who is teaching financial services without any textbooks!”

Centier continues to promote financial wellness throughout areas where it has a presence, and welcomes opportunities to partner with those schools and community organizations. For more information email Centier’s Financial Capabilities Officer, Dian Reyome, at dreyome@centier.com

Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, is pleased to announce the grand opening of Centier’s Elkhart Branch, located at 303 County Road 17. The newly constructed facility offers full-service banking for personal and commercial clients. Branch lobby hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and drive-thru hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Saturdays, the lobby and drive-thru are open 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

“We have been searching for an ideal location in Elkhart for a number of years,” stated Mike Schrage, president and CEO of Centier Bank. “We’ve finally found a central location and assembled a strong leadership team of bankers to service the community. We are happy to finally be in Elkhart.”

Centier Bank is a $2.5 billion dollar bank, and is proud to preserve an increasingly unique legacy of independent community banking as Indiana’s largest, private, family-owned bank. The company was founded in Whiting, Indiana by Henry Schrage and has remained family-managed since 1895. Each generation of the Schrage family has contributed toward a lasting legacy that has created a company built on family values, community partnership, business relationships, and a corporate culture unsurpassed in today’s community banking.

Centier Bank is growing steady and quickly in the Michiana region. Last month, the bank opened a banking center in Mishawaka and earlier this year opened multiple locations throughout the Greater Lafayette region. The Bank has 50 locations statewide in Lake, Porter, La Porte, Marshall, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Allen, Tippecanoe, and Hamilton Counties.

Centier Bank has gained a positive reputation as a community bank with an award-winning corporate culture and has developed best practices for employers throughout the nation. Centier’s workplace attitude stems from a value-based work ethic which includes a promise to maintain service built on friendship, loyalty, caring, respect, and integrity. These key values have fostered a positive work experience for its employees and in turn, a new standard of excellence for clients. Since 2007, Centier Bank has been among the top 10 “Best Places to Work in Indiana” by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and was recently named into the chamber’s Hall of Fame for its years of success as a Best Place to Work. American Banker magazine also hailed Centier as the “#4 Best Bank to Work For” in the U.S.A.

“Centier is well-known for its ‘Not for Sale’ promise,” stated Schrage. “It’s my personal commitment that Centier Bank will remain independently owned and operated for years to come. We will continue our family legacy of independent community banking for future generations in Elkhart, Mishawaka, South Bend – the entire Michiana region.”

Schrage commemorated the grand opening with a donation to Junior Achievement serving Elkhart. Amish Shah, President of the Board of Directors for JA, received the donation on behalf of the organization.

The new Centier Bank building was remodeled with the help of Gerometta & Kinel Architects and Majority Builders of South Bend managed construction.

Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, announced that Jim Pinarski has joined Centier Bank as Bank Officer. Pinarski serves as Branch Manager of Centier Bank’s new Elkhart Branch, located at 303 County Road 17.

Pinarski joins Centier as a seasoned banker with experience in mortgage and consumer lending. He will oversee management of the new Elkhart branch, including all branch operations, sales, and staffing. The branch is scheduled to open for business on Monday, October 6, 2014. Branch lobby hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and drive-thru hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Saturdays, the lobby and drive-thru are open 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Pinarski, a graduate of Purdue University, is a former board member of the Goshen Little League, a volunteer for Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity, and the Boys and Girls Club. He resides in Goshen with his family.

Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, is pleased to announce the grand opening of a new Centier Mishawaka Banking Center located at 255 E. Day Road. The newly constructed facility offers full-service banking for personal and commercial clients. The branch lobby and drive thru is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Centier first entered the market in 2006, with a commercial loan production office. Since opening, Centier has expanded its market team to include mortgage services and personal banking services. The new banking center serves as a business hub for full-service personal and commercial services, lending, and investment services. The former loan production office and all of its team members will relocate to the new building.

“We have forged great relationships with many business clients through the years,” stated Centier Bank Community Market President, Steve Watts. “Thanks to them, we quickly grew our business through referrals and created a strong client base. Since then, our residential mortgage services department has had great success, leading to a high demand for retail banking services. We are happy the day has come that we now have a new banking center to accommodate all of our clients’ banking needs.”

The new 6,000 square foot Mishawaka Banking Center features convenient drive-thru services, a drive-up EZ Deposit ATM (which accepts check and cash deposits 24/7), teller stations, and private offices for personal, business, and mortgage lending. In addition, the lobby has a self-service coin machine for Centier clients and Investment services are available by appointment. The retail branch manager is Amber Pulford and assistant manager is Jessica Berndt.

Centier Bank is a $2.5 billion dollar bank, and is proud to preserve an increasingly unique legacy of independent community banking as Indiana’s largest, private, family-owned bank. The company was founded in Whiting, Indiana by Henry Schrage and has remained family-managed since 1895. Each generation of the Schrage family has contributed toward a lasting legacy that has created a company built on family values, community partnership, business relationships, and a corporate culture unsurpassed in today’s community banking.

Centier Bank is growing steady and quickly in the Michiana region. Next month, the bank will open its first Elkhart branch, located at 303 County Road 17. In recent months, the bank has opened multiple locations throughout the Greater Lafayette region.

Centier Bank has gained a positive reputation as a community bank with an award-winning corporate culture and has developed best practices for employers throughout the nation. Centier’s workplace attitude stems from a value-based work ethic which includes a promise to maintain service built on friendship, loyalty, caring, respect, and integrity. These key values have fostered a positive work experience for its employees and in turn, a new standard of excellence for clients. Since 2007, Centier Bank has been among the top 10 “Best Places to Work in Indiana” by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and was recently named into the chamber’s Hall of Fame for its years of success as a Best Place to Work. American Banker magazine also hailed Centier as the “#4 Best Bank to Work For” in the U.S.A.

Centier’s expanded service options may be exactly what Michiana residents are looking for in a community bank. The disappearance of locally-owned banks and community bank consolidations leave many residents searching for a reliable bank that will be around for years to come. That is where Centier Bank promises to deliver.

“Centier is well-known for its ‘Not for Sale’ promise,” stated Schrage. “It’s my personal commitment that Centier Bank will remain independently owned and operated for years to come. We will continue our family legacy of independent community banking for future generations in Mishawaka, South Bend, Elkhart – the entire Michiana region.”

Schrage commemorated the grand opening with a donation to Real Services, Inc., which provides services to low-income seniors in St. Joseph, Marshall, Elkhart, La Porte, and Kosciusko Counties.

The new Centier Bank building was designed by Gerometta & Kinel Architects and construction was managed by Majority Builders of South Bend.

Centier Bank hosted a screening party for kindergarten students at Frankie W. McCullough Academy for Girls on Friday, September 26, 2014. Several of the students at the school were featured on an upcoming episode of Money $ense, which airs on Lakeshore Public Television. Money $ense is a locally produced television series designed to educate the public on personal financial issues and improve financial wellness. The series debuted in April and has already featured numerous financial topics such as identity theft, insurance, and planning for retirement.

“Financial Literacy is a lifelong learning process,” stated Money $ense host Anthony Contrucci. “It was wonderful to sit down with students and talk to them about their perceptions of money. Even at ages 5 and 6, they are capable of understanding lessons that set the groundwork for lifelong habits and attitudes towards money.”

The episode features financial lessons from the children’s book Three Cups, written by Indiana businessman Tony Townsley. In the book, Townsley teaches readers how to divide a weekly allowance into three cups: One for saving, one for spending, and one for money designated for charity. Townsley has received acclaim from many financial services professionals for writing a book that young minds can easily understand.

“The Three Cups book is an engaging tool to make financial lessons fun and understandable,” stated Contrucci. “That’s why we chose to feature this book on our show. Money $ense was designed to engage our viewing audience in easy ways to understand and manage personal finances.”

Money $ense filmed the episode at the school in July and features several kindergarten girls. Contrucci, who also serves as Director of Investment Services at Centier Bank, along with Centier Bank President, Mike Schrage, Superintendent of the Gary Community School Corporation, Dr. Cheryl L. Pruitt, School Principal, Pearl Prince, School Board President, Rosie Washington, and Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, were in attendance for an advanced screening of the episode, scheduled to air on October 3, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. Centier Bank, co-producer of the Money $ense series, hosted the pizza party for students and their parents.

Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, announced that Amber L. Pulford and Jessica Berndt have joined Centier Bank. Pulford serves as Branch Manager and Berndt serves as Assistant Manager of Centier Bank’s new Mishawaka Banking Center, located at 255 E. Day Road.

Amber L. Pulford joins Centier as a seasoned banker with more than eight years of experience in retail banking and management. She is a member of the Elkhart and South Bend Chamber of Commerce and is a volunteer with Helping Paws and Open Doors Kalamazoo. Pulford is a graduate of Purdue University and resides in South Bend with her husband and family (pictured left).

Jessica Berndt joins Centier with a background in retail management. She resides in Berrien Springs, Michigan, with her husband and family (pictured right).

Pulford and Berndt will lead Centier’s expanded retail service team serving the Greater Mishawaka community. The new 6,000 square foot Mishawaka Banking Center features convenient drive-thru services, a drive-up EZ Deposit ATM (which accepts check and cash deposits 24/7), teller stations, and private offices for personal, business, and mortgage lending. The new office opens for business on Monday, September 29, 2014.

Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting on Thursday morning to commemorate the grand opening of a new West Lafayette retail branch, located at 1020A Sagamore Parkway West. The newly remodeled facility offers convenient, full-service banking for personal and commercial clients. The branch lobby and drive thru is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The retail branch manager is Stephen Walter.

This is Centier’s second West Lafayette location; the bank opened a branch inside of Meijer grocery store earlier this summer. Since opening a Lafayette loan production office in 2009, Centier has expanded its market team to include mortgage services and personal banking services. The new West Lafayette offers convenient banking services, including drive-thru services, an EZ Deposit ATM (accepting deposits 24/7), and safe deposit box rental for clients. In addition, a night depository for will be available.

Centier Bank has gained a positive reputation as a community bank with an award-winning corporate culture and best practices for employers throughout the nation. Centier’s workplace attitude stems from a value-based work ethic which includes a promise to maintain service built on friendship, loyalty, caring, respect, and integrity. These key values have fostered a positive work experience for its employees and in turn, a new standard of excellence for clients. Since 2007, Centier Bank has been among the top 10 “Best Places to Work in Indiana” by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and was recently named into the chamber’s Hall of Fame for its years of success as a Best Place to Work. American Banker magazine also hailed Centier as the “#4 Best Bank to Work For” in the U.S.A.

Centier’s personalized service options may be exactly what West Lafayette residents are looking for in a community bank. The disappearance of locally-owned banks and community bank consolidations leave many residents searching for a reliable bank that will be around for years to come. That is where Centier Bank promises to deliver.

“Centier is well-known for its ‘Not for Sale’ promise,” stated Schrage. “It’s my personal commitment that Centier Bank will remain independently owned and operated for years to come. We will continue our family legacy of independent community banking for future generations in West Lafayette, Lafayette, and throughout the state.”

Centier Bank is a $2.5 billion dollar bank, and is proud to preserve an increasingly unique legacy of independent community banking as Indiana’s largest, private, family-owned bank. The company was founded in Whiting, Indiana by Henry Schrage and has remained family-managed since 1895. Each generation of the Schrage family has contributed toward a lasting legacy that has created a company built on family values, community partnership, business relationships, and a corporate culture unsurpassed in today’s community banking.

Schrage commemorated the grand opening with a ribbon cutting, with a donation to Cornerstone Autism Center. The agency provides services to children and families living with a child affected by autism.

Michael E. Schrage, President and CEO of Centier Bank, announced that Douglas P. Fyock has joined Centier Bank. Fyock serves the bank as Mortgage Loan Originator. His office is located at 9921 DuPont Circle Drive West, Suite 110.

Fyock joins Centier as a seasoned mortgage loan officer, with close to 40 years of experience in the mortgage industry. His experience and knowledge offers clients options on a full range of mortgage products, including conventional, government, construction loan and rural housing programs. Fyock is also experienced with the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority down payment assistance programs.

Fyock is a member of the Fort Wayne Board of Realtors, Homebuilders Association of Fort Wayne and Chamber of Commerce. He is a past president of the Northeast chapter of the Mortgage Bankers Association and currently serves as a director. Fyock is a graduate of Indiana University and a life long resident of Fort Wayne.